Australia's e-journal of social and political debate, ON LINE opinion published an article today by Ordan Andreevski, United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) Director of Australian Operations entitled "Towards a new relationship: Australia, Macedonia and the Australian Macedonian community."

"The 20th Anniversary of Macedonian Independence on 8 Sept. 2011, provides a unique opportunity for Prime Minister Gillard and her Cabinet to rethink and upgrade Australia's foreign policy and to strengthen links with the Republic of Macedonia. It is also a time to critically examine the relationship between the parliamentary ALP and the Australian Macedonian community," states Andreevski.

"How is Australia being fair to Macedonia and its diaspora if it makes and keeps a discriminatory foreign policy in favor of discredited nationalists in the Hellenic Republic and in Australia who still refuse to recognise ethnic minorities, political realities and EU ethical standards," continues Andreevski.

UMD calls on Australia to recognize Macedonia as Republic of Macedonia.

To read the entire article, please click here: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=12583

Not gonna happen.

Australia has a strong Greek lobby and loves sucking up to the UN. As long as we are known as FYROM in the UN, we will be known as FYROM in Australia.

Sorry Averman - I don't buy into your cynical comment. You have to keep up the pressure on your government regardless of whether the odds are stacked against you. From what I can see there are many Australian organizations that are keeping up the fight.

That's not how you deal with Australian politicians. Australian pollies care more about votes and money than they do about what's right.

There are enough of us there to make them care.

Pressure changes policy, not numbers. Besides, not all members of an ethnic group vote for the same party, that's a terrible assumption.

In Canada, there was one member of parliament that was Macedonian, and he was from the left party. Many voted for that party because of him. But it was the right side party that recognized the Republic of Macedonia. Many still voted left.

Politics are much more complicated than they appear!